Ch.144The Legendary Necromancer Is Dangerous (8)

When Gildeon had his seal taken away by the girl, Baek Eunha, he felt both a sense of loss and an inexplicable elation.

‘…So it truly existed. A realm beyond my own.’

In Gildeon’s era, there was no one who could truly stand in his way.

This was true not just among fellow necromancers, but among everyone in the entire world combined.

Gildeon was unparalleled, standing above all others. Yet ironically, because of this, he harbored one final lingering attachment.

‘Is the realm I’ve achieved truly the pinnacle?’

Gildeon had vaguely come to realize that no matter how much time passed, he could not cultivate his power any further.

If this truly was the highest point, Gildeon had intended to relinquish his life without regret and return to the earth.

The problem was that there was no way to confirm this.

‘If only there had been just one person equal to me…’

If there had been, he could have been certain whether this was the final step granted to humans, or if there were heights beyond that he simply wasn’t qualified to reach.

To confirm this, Gildeon had sealed his soul with a special dark art and waited for someone from a later generation to invite him into a new era.

‘Originally, I had passed that duty to several individuals…’

The fact that he now found himself in this distant foreign land made it clear that, for whatever reason, they had abandoned that responsibility.

However, Gildeon was convinced that all of this was merely the process leading him to meet Baek Eunha here and now.

“Truly beautiful death energy.”

But after muttering those words, Gildeon immediately corrected himself.

“No, it would be more accurate to say this is something entirely different now.”

As he said, the energy flowing from the gate to the netherworld that Baek Eunha had summoned was already on a completely different trajectory from mere death energy.

That energy continued to expand endlessly, eventually filling the land of Philosium that Gildeon had summoned.

At that exact moment, Baek Eunha, who had been standing silently, spoke again.

“It seems this place is too cramped.”

Immediately after, with a single gesture of her hand, the space created by Gildeon’s stone staff shattered into pieces.

To be precise, this included not just the space within the stone staff, but the dungeon beyond it as well.

As the limited space broke apart, the gate to the netherworld accelerated its energy release, spreading it widely. Gildeon, feeling himself settle onto a more expansive land, quickly realized what it was.

‘Is this Earth?’

The refreshing air compared to the dungeon, and the presence of countless living beings felt in the distance.

It was certainly quite an impressive planet.

“…So, what exactly do you intend to show me?”

“This.”

Whoosh.

Rumble.

Creeeeak.

As the gate to the netherworld finally began to open, the surrounding land once again began to change its nature.

Dark blue mist now flowed across the ground, undulating in all directions like a river with a consistent current.

The sky also changed its color, gradually dyeing the surroundings with a luminous darkness.

Facing this scene, Gildeon was certain.

Though he had never seen it in the flesh during his lifetime, this was undoubtedly the netherworld.

The homeland of the dead, the land of lost souls.

That mythical landscape was unfolding before Gildeon’s eyes.

Simultaneously, beings with unfathomable power began to emerge from the gate.

Something between a middle-aged man and an elder, as if his entire body had been dyed with the night sky.

He was aboard something that looked like a ferry, holding a long oar in his hand as if he were its master.

His size was truly enormous, surpassing even the average giant race.

“If you ever die and go to the afterlife, you’ll certainly board this boat too.”

It was a truly grandiose and solemn statement. Despite the situation, Gildeon couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

“Well, that might happen sooner rather than later.”

With Baek Eunha’s words, something that appeared behind Charon tilted its three massive heads and gazed at Gildeon with lowered eyes.

Gildeon could immediately identify what it was.

The guardian of the netherworld and the three-headed hound of hell, Cerberus.

Though Gildeon was certainly an absolute being, before them, even he felt as insignificant as a roadside stone.

In reality it wasn’t quite to that extent, but their majesty was so overwhelming that such thoughts naturally invaded his mind.

Looking at the completely stiffened Gildeon, Baek Eunha merely offered a quiet remark.

“So, is there any need to continue?”

“How truly amusing.”

That wasn’t an answer directed at Baek Eunha, but self-deprecation aimed at himself.

‘The question I’ve harbored for ages has finally been resolved.’

The realm Gildeon had reached was not the ultimate end; there existed a higher place, and someone who had actually set foot on that land stood before him.

But unlike his previous expectation that this would allow him to understand everything and resign himself, Gildeon felt another emotion taking over his inner self.

“I too wish to step upon that stairway.”

And he finally realized. He hadn’t wanted to confirm his own realm; he had been hoping all along that something higher existed.

Therefore, there was only one answer he could give.

“Please, to the very end.”

Kneeling on one knee, placing his fist in the designated position while slightly bowing his head.

As far as Gildeon knew, it was the expression of reverence containing the highest praise.

#

To be honest, the result was all too obvious and expected.

‘Surely he must have known as well.’

Gildeon’s subordinates fought valiantly, but they couldn’t withstand my undead reinforced by the netherworld’s seal and the beings from the netherworld.

And finally, having exhausted all their strength, the outcome of the battle was decided.

“This, this can’t, this can’t be…”

Heimbell, who had been far away, kept repeating those words with a dumbfounded expression after confirming Gildeon’s state and my power.

Well, since he had returned to Earth faster than me, he probably never imagined that my realm had reached such heights.

That’s why he had been so confident and taken such an assured attitude.

‘…Well, honestly, his backing was more than I expected.’

Gildeon truly showed strength and resilience beyond my expectations.

But because of that, I too could now be absolutely certain.

In neither past nor future would there exist a necromancer who achieved a higher realm than mine.

“…That should be enough. You were quite impressive.”

Normally, I would have just cut his head off without a second thought, but this time I waited for his words without doing so.

That’s how much I was impressed by his skill, and it was my way of showing respect.

In response, Gildeon, with an expression as if he had shed everything, spoke his final words to me.

“I have a request for you.”

“…What is it?”

“From now on, I’d like you to take care of her in my place.”

The person Gildeon pointed to with his fingertip was a silver-haired girl who had been fighting between Hans and Cerberus until just now.

Her eyes were covered with cloth, making her identity unknown, but honestly, I was interested as well.

“That’s not a complete undead, is it?”

“Your words are correct.”

From what I could see, the girl’s identity was a longevity species. And clearly a quite special kind.

“I made a promise, but in the end, I couldn’t fulfill it.”

“I’d rather not take on troublesome tasks.”

“No, you will likely be able to satisfy it naturally. If I say that simply keeping her with you is enough, would you understand?”

Since he put it that way, it was hard to refuse, so I nodded.

Eventually, after transferring his contract with her to me, Gildeon slowly looked around at Earth’s scenery and quietly closed his eyes.

“It’s regrettable, but I have no lingering attachments.”

At the same time, his body began to dissipate like dust.

His lifespan had long since ended, and now that his will holding it together had disappeared, he was finally returning to where he belonged.

“…Please take good care of her as promised.”

“What’s so special about her that you’re so concerned?”

“She is my master.”

Wait, is this guy seriously insane?

As I stared at him with an incredulous look, Gildeon responded with a slight smile.

Then, suddenly stiffening his expression, he began to mumble as if trying to say something.

“I’ve remembered.”

“Oh come on. What now?”

“The netherworld you summoned. I certainly visited that place before…”

That part made me curious as well. According to the legend Henesia told me, Gildeon supposedly met the king of hell and had a final farewell with his lover or something along those lines.

Looking at his condition, it made sense. Gildeon hadn’t been able to fully draw out the power of the seal, so he might have lost his memories of that place as a result.

‘But is there actually a way to go directly to the netherworld?’

That’s something even I don’t know. I leaned in and concentrated, but Gildeon’s form had already almost completely disappeared.

“In the past, I went there seeking the soul of my dead lover.”

Eventually, he left only one final sentence before his form vanished completely.

“…But the king of the netherworld from the old tales no longer existed there.”